Otto’s Pumpkin Patch 2026: The Pumpkins That Made It
Every year at Otto’s Pumpkin Patch seems to have its own personality. Some years everything falls into place. Other years, Mother Nature makes you work for every pumpkin.
2026 was definitely the second kind.
We went into this season with high hopes for a big crop, but almost from the beginning, the pumpkin patch faced some serious challenges.
The Deer Found the Buffet
Our biggest problem this year came courtesy of the local deer population.
They discovered the patch early and apparently decided Otto’s Pumpkin Patch was their new favorite restaurant. They got after a lot of the young plants, eating leaves, vines and new growth before many of the plants ever had a chance to really get established.
A healthy pumpkin plant can sometimes bounce back from a little damage, but when deer repeatedly visit young vines, there’s only so much a plant can take.
We lost a significant portion of our potential crop before pumpkin season really got rolling.
Then Came the Cold
As if the deer weren’t enough, we also dealt with some major cold snaps while the plants were still young.
Pumpkins love warmth, and those stretches of unusually cold weather didn’t do us any favors. Some plants were visibly stressed, while others simply never seemed to recover or grow as aggressively as we normally see.
Between the cold and the deer, it became pretty obvious that our original crop expectations were going to have to change.
About 20% — But We’ll Take It
When everything was said and done, we ended up producing only about 20% of the pumpkins we expected this season.
That number sounds disappointing — and it certainly wasn’t what we planned — but looking at the pumpkins that survived tells another story.
We still ended up with a great assortment.
There are classic orange pumpkins, pale green varieties, striped gourds, warty pumpkins and one especially impressive big guy that looks like he fought through the entire season just to make it onto the table.
They aren’t all perfectly shaped.
They aren’t all perfectly orange.
And that might be what makes this year’s crop one of our favorites.
Every pumpkin in the 2026 harvest earned its spot.
A Tough Year at the Patch
Growing pumpkins has a funny way of reminding you that you’re never completely in charge.
You can prepare the soil.
You can plant the seeds.
You can water.
You can weed.
You can watch the vines grow.
And then a deer walks in at 2:00 in the morning and eats half your work.
That’s farming — even on the backyard scale.
The 2026 season gave us plenty of lessons, and we already know one major priority for next year:
Better deer protection.
We’ll also be paying even closer attention to early-season temperatures and looking for ways to give the youngest plants a little more protection when those unexpected cold nights arrive.
The 2026 Otto’s Pumpkin Patch Harvest
So here it is — the 2026 crop from Otto’s Pumpkin Patch.
It may only represent about 20% of what we originally hoped to harvest, but after everything these plants went through, we’re pretty proud of it.
The deer may have won a few rounds.
Mother Nature definitely landed a few punches.
But Otto’s Pumpkin Patch still produced pumpkins.
And we’ll be back in 2027.
Older. Wiser. Better protected. And ready for the deer.
Opening Day Is Here!
Opening Day is here—and just like baseball season, it brings the excitement of a fresh, new start.
While teams are taking the field, Otto is getting ready for something just as important… planting season. With warmer weather finally arriving here in Pennsylvania, it’s time to get our hands in the soil and kick off the journey toward another great pumpkin harvest.
🌱 A New Season Begins
There’s nothing quite like this time of year. The days are getting longer, the sun is shining a little brighter, and everything is coming back to life.
At Otto’s Pumpkin Patch, Opening Day means one thing: it’s time to plant the seeds that will become this fall’s pumpkins. Every pumpkin you pick later in the season starts right now—with careful planning, preparation, and a lot of excitement.
🎃 This Year’s Pumpkin Lineup
Just like a baseball roster, we’ve got a strong lineup of pumpkins ready to take the field this season:
Grizzly Bear – Big, bold, and built to stand out
Jack O’Lantern – The classic favorite for carving season
Black Bear – Dark, unique, and full of character
Atlantic Giant – The heavyweight champion of pumpkins
Ghost Town – Pale, spooky, and perfect for fall displays
Each variety brings something different to the patch—and we can’t wait to watch them grow.
☀️ Looking Ahead to Fall
It might feel early to be thinking about pumpkins, but every great season starts on Opening Day. From planting seeds now to picking pumpkins later, it’s all part of the journey.
So while you’re enjoying baseball, sunshine, and the start of spring, just know—out in the fields, the next pumpkin season is already underway.
🍁 Stay Tuned
We’ll be sharing updates all season long as our pumpkins grow. Before you know it, it’ll be time to head back to the patch and find our favorite.
Until then… play ball, and happy planting!